Are More Employees "Job Hugging?" You Make The Call

Nearly half of U.S. workers are "job hugging," meaning they are staying in their current jobs longer than they otherwise would.

A Monster.com survey of 1,004 U.S. workers found that 48 percent describe themselves as job huggers, and three-out-of-four respondents expect to remain in their current positions for at least the next two years, suggesting this pattern of staying put is likely to persist.

Many workers believe job hugging is more common now than in 2024 and expect it to become even more prevalent by 2026, reflecting a broad perception that economic conditions and job prospects will remain fragile in the near term.

Career experts describe a shift from ambition and mobility toward comfort, salary, and stability, emphasizing that workers are not prioritizing advancement.

Source: https://www.newsweek.com/nearly-half-us-workers-job-hugging-amid-economic-uncertainty-10927295
 

So, the question for our readers is: Are More Employees "Job Hugging"?
 

Here is the opinion of one of the McCalmon editorial staff:

Jack McCalmon, Esq.

One consideration absent from the source is workplace flexibility. More workers view workplace flexibility (e.g., location, hours) as integral benefits. With more employers turning to pre-pandemic workplace requirements, more employees are "hugging" jobs with more flexibility.


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Latest Numbers

  • Unemployment Rate
    4.4% in Dec 2025
  • Payroll Employment
    +50,000(p) in Dec 2025
  • Average Hourly Earnings
    +$0.12(p) in Dec 2025
  • Employment Cost Index (ECI)
    +0.8% in 3rd Qtr of 2025
  • Productivity
    +4.9% in 3rd Qtr of 2025

Source: Department of Labor